Windsor chair repair help

[jimmybigfoot]

Hi, I have a Windsor chair to repair which has split on the base.
I am a furniture maker but am worried about dismantling the chair without damaging and also because if when I split or bandsaw the base down the crack, will it go back together because it will be not as wide by 4-5mm as a result of jointing? Should I glue some veneer in between to regain the thickness?
I have attached a picture.
Thanks Jim

 

[deema]

If you don't mind the crack, I would dribble west epoxy resin into the crack form the top and add some saw dust to bulk it up / take some finish.

Underneath the chair I would add some butterfly cleats across the crack to stop it opening up any further and to reinforce the chair seat.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Hi Jim. These country chairs come apart quite easily, just give it a good thump with a heavy rubber mallet. The split in the seat appears to be on a joint so no need to put it through the bandsaw. Just take it apart , clean the old glue off and reglue.

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I'm with mrpercysnodgrass on this one - sympathetically break the chair down, clean off the old glue and re-glue. I'd consider adding biscuits to the seat joint as re-enforcement.

Regards Mick

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It doesn't look much like a "country" chair to me, more like "factory" chair, in which case you may have more trouble than that with the glue.

 

[jimmybigfoot]

Thanks guys, I might try the mallet option first and if that doesn't work I'll go with the Dutchman.

 

[jimmybigfoot]

Turns out the glue is a bugger to remove. Can anyone help me with loosening the tenons to the back I've tried water, damp rags with an iron and even drilled some small holes to let the moisture in but it still won't budge
Jim

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Looking at the chair construction, if you can dislodge one end of the centre stretcher you could probably spring the chair far enough apart to clean off the old glue and re-glue the seat.

You only need to remove the centre stretcher and the comb in order to separate the two halves of the seat - leave the rest of the joints intact.

Regards Mick

 

[jimmybigfoot]

Thanks mike, I'll have a go.
Jim

 

[jimmybigfoot]

You've saved the day mike. Worked a treat and they just popped straight off. Thanks again.
Jim

 

[Eric The Viking]

I've got a some that are similar.

One of the neighbours was throwing them out. I succeeded with two out of three (broke them down, re-glued joints, reassembled), but had to dowel the split joints to keep them aligned whilst glueing - originally just a rubbed joint (or made in a jig, more likely). I've since got a decent biscuit joiner, so I'd use that if doing it again, using the flat bottom surface as the reference.

The third one was a failure because the two pieces both warped in different directions - one curved upwards and one downwards. There was no chance of getting it to fit together again usefully. I kept it for ages hoping I could think of something, but it's now in the garden awaiting the (firewood) sack.

The othe two are now 'carvers' for our well-worn kitchen chair set, so not a bad result overall.

E.
(waste not, want not!)

 

[jimmybigfoot]

I just titebonded the two faces direct.

 

[jimmybigfoot]

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